Hebrew Bible Survey I*

Course Objectives

• Through this course students will become familiar with the content of the Torah/Pentateuch (Genesis–Deuteronomy) and the Former Prophets (Joshua – Kings).
• Students will have greater understanding of the historical and socio–political context in which the Hebrew Bible emerged;
• Learn to write exegesis papers and examine various methods of interpretation in biblical studies;
• Engage with various communities around the world that are interpreting the Bible.   

Requirements & Grades:

• Students are expected to attend all class sessions and to participate actively in class. 

Attendance Policy:  Attendance in class is required.  If you know you will be unable to attend a class session, please inform the instructor in advance; one excused absence will not count toward the total.  Missing four to five sessions will result in an automatic lowering of your final grade by a full letter grade (A to B;  A- to B-;  B+ to C+;  B, B-, or C+ to C;  and C to F). Missing six or more sessions will result in automatic failure of the course.

• Two exegesis papers:
• Exegesis paper 1 (Genesis), 2 pages in length, double spaced; due Week 5, February 21;  20% toward the final grade
• Exegesis paper 2 (Judges), 2 pages in length, double spaced; due Week 11, April 10;  20% toward the final grade
• Two exams:  60 minutes long, open book, in class, multiple-choice and short-answer questions.
• Exam 1:  Week 7, March 6;  20% toward the final grade
• Exam 2:  Week 13, April 26; 20% toward the final grade

• Final Reflection Paper (20%), 3 pages in length, double spaced; due on the last session of the course (May 10).  Please answer ONE question from the following:
• In what ways have your initial understanding of the Hebrew Bible been changed or challenged?  Give specific examples.
• Even if you do not agree with the scholars’ theories, conclusions, or ways of doing biblical studies, how has this course introduced a different means of studying and understanding the Bible?  Give specific examples.

Required Books [in the order they are to be read in the course]

• John J. Collins, Introduction to the Hebrew Bible (Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2004)
• Victor H. Matthews and Doc C. Benjamin, Old Testament Parallels (Paulist Press, 2007)
• Daniel Patte, ed., Global Bible Commentary (Nashville: Abigndon Press, 2004)
• Steven L. McKenzie and Stephen R. Haynes, eds., To Each Its Own Meaning (Revised and Expanded; Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 1999)
• J. Maxwell Miller and John H. Hayes, A History of Ancient Israel and Judah (Second Edition; Louisville: Westminster John Knox, 2006)
• Gale Yee, ed., Judges and Method (Second Edition; Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2007)
• Walter Brueggemann, Solomon:  Israel’s Ironic Icon of Human Achievement (Columbia:  University of South Carolina, 2005)

Plagiarism Policy

Plagiarism, the failure to give proper credit for the words and ideas of another person, whether published or unpublished, is strictly prohibited. Credit will not be given for written work containing plagiarism, and plagiarism can lead to failure of a course. All written material submitted by students must be their own original work; where the words and ideas of others are used they must be acknowledged. Additionally, if students receive editorial help with their writing they should also acknowledge it appropriately.

Credit will not be given for work containing plagiarism, and plagiarism can lead to failure of a course. Faculty will report all instances of plagiarism to the Academic Dean.  The Academic Dean will then collect documented details of the case and advance any recommendations for further action to the Academic Policies Committee.  Through this process the situation will be reviewed and any additional penalties that may be warranted (up to and including expulsion from the school) will be determined.

For clarity as to what constitutes plagiarism, the following description is provided:

1. Word for word plagiarism: (a) the submission of another person’s work as one’s own; (b) the submission of a commercially prepared paper; (c) the submission of work from a source which is not acknowledged by a footnote or other specific reference in the paper itself; (d) the submission of any part of another person’s work without proper use of quotation marks.
2. Plagiarism by paraphrase: (a) mere re-arrangement of another person’s works and phrases does not make them your own and also constitutes plagiarism; (b) paraphrasing another person’s words, ideas, and information without acknowledging the original source from which you took them is also plagiarism.  See Part II of Kate L. Turabian, A Manual for Writers of Research Papers, Theses and Dissertations, (7th Edition, University of Chicago Press, 2007) for an explanation of the proper ways to acknowledge the work of others and to avoid plagiarism.
3. Reuse of your own work: Coursework submitted for credit in one course cannot be submitted for credit in another course.  While technically not plagiarism, this type of infraction will be treated in the same manner as plagiarism and will be subject to the same penalties. If you are using small amounts of material from a previous submitted work, that work should be referenced appropriately. When a student is writing their final program requirement (paper, project or thesis) it may be appropriate, with their advisor’s permission, to include portions of previously submitted material if properly referenced.

Class Schedule

Week 1 Januray 24 and 26  Introductions

Reading Assignments

• Collins, Introduction, 1 – 46

Week 2 January 31 and February 2 Genesis, History, and the Documentary Hypothesis

Reading Assignments

• Genesis 1–11
• Collins, Introduction, 47–82
• McKenzie and Haynes, 17 – 34
• Old Testament Parallels, 11 – 42

Week 3  February 7 and 9  Genesis, Part 2

Reading Assignments

• Genesis 12–50
• Collins, Introduction, 83–105
• McKenzie and Haynes, 35 – 57, 58-89
• Old Testament Parallels, 47 – 79
• Global Bible Commentary, Genesis

Week 4 February 14 and 16  Moses and the Exodus

Reading Assignments

• Exodus
• Collins, Introduction, 107–137
• Old Testament Parallels, 89 – 98
• Global Bible Commentary, Exodus

Week 5   February 21 and 23  The Priestly Writings

Exegesis Paper 1 due on Tuesday

Reading Assignments

• Leviticus and Numbers
• Collins, Introduction, 139–158
• Global Bible Commentary, Leviticus and Numbers

Week 6  February 28 and March 1  Deuteronomy

Reading Assignments

• Deuteronomy
• Collins, Introduction, 159–179
• Old Testament Parallels, 101 – 133
• Global Bible Commentary, Deuteronomy

Week 7  March 6 and 8  Joshua

Exam 1 on Tuesday

Reading Assignments

• Joshua
• Collins, Introduction, 183–202
• Old Testament Parallels, 146 – 156
• Global Bible Commentary, Joshua
• Miller & Hayes, chapter 4

Week 8   March 13 and 15   Joshua and Judges

Reading Assignments

• Judges
• Collins, Introduction, 203–215.
• Yee, Judges and Method, 1 – 18, 19 – 45
• Global Bible Commentary, Judges

Week 9  March 20 and 22   Judges

Reading Assignments

• Additional article/s may be assigned
• Yee, Judges and Method, 46-64, 65-89, 115-137

Week 10 March 27 and 29   The Rise of David

Reading Assignments

• I Samuel 1—II Samuel 5
• Collins, Introduction, 217–44
• Old Testament Parallels, 165 – 175
• Global Bible Commentary, I Samuel
• Miller & Hayes, chapter 5

April 3-6  Reading Week No Classes

Week 11 April 10 and 12   David, Part 2

Exegesis Paper 2 due on Tuesday

Reading Assignments

• Additional article/s may be assigned
• II Samuel 6—1 Kings 2
• Global Bible Commentary, 2 Samuel
• Miller & Hayes, chapter 6

Week 12   April 17 and 19   Solomon

Reading Assignments

• I Kings 1 – 16
• Collins, Introduction, 245–60
• Brueggemann, chapters 1 and 4
• Miller & Hayes, chapter 7

Week 13   April 24 and 26   Solomon, Part 2        

Exam 2 on Thursday

Reading Assignments

• I Kings 1 – 16
• Brueggemann, chapters 5, 6, and 7
• Miller & Hayes, chapter 8

Week 14 May 1 and 3  The Fall of Samaria

Reading Assignments

• I Kings 17 – 2 Kings 17
• Collins, Introduction, 261–79
• Old Testament Parallels, 176 – 194
• Global Bible Commentary, I Kings
• Miller & Hayes, chapter 11 and 12

Week 15 May 8 and 10 The Fall of Jerusalem

Final Reflection Paper due on Thursday

Reading Assignments

• II Kings 18—25
• Old Testament Parallels, 195 – 203
• Global Bible Commentary, II Kings
• Miller & Hayes, chapters 13 and 14